As we near the end of this year and the coming of another, many of us make resolutions for what we would like to improve upon the next time around. But it can be hard to make changes in our life when so many of our habit patterns are firmly rooted in years of repetition.Last night the family and I watched Another Earth, an independent film that uses the backdrop of science fiction to provide a moving character drama about redemption and identity. There is a short (fictional) story that the main character tells that I thought really addressed this issue of changing our habits. Watch it below: (if you are a e-mail subscriber you must come to the main blog page to see the video)

My New Year's Resolution is to take the things I percieve as obstacles in my life and "fall in love with them" as the cosmonaut did. One of these obstacles is the anxiety I create about unknown situations. For instance, Neda and I are leaving for Thailand next week and we are both very excited about the trip. But even amidst the excitement, I have been stressing myself out trying to plan our itinerary and figure out all the logistics like appropriate visas, etc...

I know that planning is crucial to any trip, but I wish that I didn't cause myself that nervous pain in my stomach every time there is an issue I can't resolve ahead of time. Yet I also I know that to berate myself for my anxiety will actually just cause more anxiety. So like the cosmonaut in the film, I need to fall in love with this aspect of my personality so that there is room for it to change. Isn't it strange how just loving and accepting something can cause it to change when no amount of stern reprimands will do so?I wish you all a Happy New Year! May your hindrances become your friends and your obstacles becoming your stepping stones. See you in Thailand!

Authors

Jeff & Neda Fields had a dream. Save some money, sell all of our stuff, and go travel the world! Join us as we sample the wisdom and food of different cultures while exploring "mini-retirement" on a budget...

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